More Than Friends (Since When)
by LivinJgrl123
Summary: They've always been meant for each other. *A/U settings* *a collection of one-shots* *taking requests*
1. Since When Is Babs Short For Barbara?

This series of one-shots is dedicated to the Dick and Babs pairing :) I was just gonna do a whole collection with every single pairing out there but then I was like: then what would be the point of "Hazard To Your Health"?! So I'm starting another A/U series, but with Dick and Babs! It will be weekly, and I hope you like it! The show's universe won't show up here, hence the A/U warnings :) thanks for reading!  
**Leave a review on your way out?**

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**A/U:**  
Middle School

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"Class, this is Richard Grayson - he's a new student. Everyone say hi."Barbara Gordon tore her eyes away from the doodle she was making in the corner of her notebook paper and focused them on the new kid everyone had been talking about since she'd gotten to school. The boy standing at the front of the classroom, with his hands shoved in his jacket pockets and a friendly smile on his face, seemed nice enough. She'd talk to him even if he wasn't nice; she said hi to everyone (unless they were an absolute waste of space, as her father liked to put it).

Barbara turned her eyes back down to her paper, her pen resuming the little cartoon she'd been drawing of her boring-as-hell teacher snoozing while little stick-figure children sneaked out the class and out to the soccer field through the classroom door and the side exit to the left and down the hall. If she had kept her eyes on the boy (she had to admit; he seemed nice _and_ sort of cute), she would have seen him look at her. And their eyes would have met.

"Barbara, please pay attention," Mr. Roach said in an exasperated tone.

Barbara looked up after a moment, huffing out a sigh and looked up to glare at her teacher before turning her attention to the new kid - Richard, right?

He was wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a black jacket. He had sunglasses (why did a sixth grader have sunglasses like those?) that hung from his shirt that peaked out from under his jacket.

Richard, instead of being hurt that she'd stopped caring about his presence for the time being, gave her some sort of crooked grin that she immediately decided she liked. She smiled - just a tiny bit - back.

She was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a navy blue t-shirt. Her binder was bright blue, filled neatly with papers and notes in an organized fashion that made even him feel messy - and he generally wasn't messy.

"Now, Richard, is there anything you'd like to say about yourself?" Short, weird-smelling, boring-as-heck-with-a-bad-haircut Mr. Roach asked, looking down his nose at what he would most definitely be calling a delinquent by next Monday. He called every single kid that wasn't a goody-two-shoes a delinquent. He was always on the verge of calling Barbara one, but her father was a decorated officer - and she was generally a good student.

Richard thought for a moment, and then said, "Nothing I can think of, sir." He flashed the teacher an all-too-smug-but-not-enough-of-a-smirk-to-get-into-trouble-smirk.

"Right then. Go sit next to Barbara - Barbara, raise your hand so Richard knows who you are."

The boy standing at the front of the classroom, in front of the chalk board, already knew who the sixth grade math teacher was. But Mr. Roach probably didn't know that. And neither did the redhead at the back of the room, in the corner - closest to the door. He took note that it was quite the strategic position; she could be the last one in and out and no one would notice. Well, maybe Mr. Roach would.

Barbara frowned at the teacher, but raised her hand anyway.

"Now go sit next to her," the teacher said, tapping his loafer-clad foot impatiently. As if he needed to be told twice.

He made his way through the row of desks, sending small smiles towards curious expressions and friendly waves, completely ignoring the few glares and the obliviousness towards his presence, and saved his most fantastic, crooked grin for the redhead named Barbara, who smiled back he plopped into his seat. Already, he could see himself and this girl passing notes and insulting the teacher. He didn't miss the funny little doodle of stick figures cramped in the corner of the math assignment - that she'd already started on.

"Right class," Mr. Roach said, clapping his hands together. "Now, Barbara, what can you tell us about finding x and y coordinates - "

The bell rang, cutting him off, and just as the dark-haired, blue-eyed boy had suspected, Barbara shot out of her seat and had vacated the space in an impressive time frame of four seconds.

But he wasn't slow.

He, too, shot out of his seat and out the door, looking around for a moment before he caught sight of the redhead's hair and went straight for her, even thought his was his first day, even though it had only been second period - even though he had no idea where he was going. Maybe he could get her to show him his next class, and then he'd get to talk to her. Hopefully.

As soon as he was close enough, he called out through the crowd of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, "Barbara!"

The redhead turned and stopped when she saw it was him. He grinned.

Barbara saw the new kid smiling at her as she waited for him to catch up.

"What's your next class?" he asked her, grinning like a fool. Which he could have been, because they were only in the sixth grade.

"I have gym class next," she said.

"Me too!" he exclaimed. She narrowed her eyes, suspicious. He was overly gleeful about something. And as much as she wanted to smile at his gleefulness, she wanted to know if he was up to something. "You're going to show me the way."

Barbara raised an eyebrow. "I am, Richard?"

"You are, Babs. And call me Dick."

"Dick?" Babs?

"Yeah, I don't like going by Richard very much."

"Why did you call me Babs?"

"It's short for Barbara."

"Since when?"

"Since now."

"Sure," she said, pressing her three-ring binder into her chest, smirking at him.

"Yeah." She began walking towards what he assumed was in the directed on the gym, and fell in step beside her. "So, Babs, tell me a little more about yourself."


	2. Since When Do You Steal Doughtnuts?

**Sorry if this isn't the best ever...**

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**A/U:**  
Summer Vacation

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"I can't believe we're technically seniors now," Barbara said, walking out of Gotham Academy's doors, in step with Dick as they made their way towards the parking lot. It was the last day of school, and now the then-juniors were technically the now-seniors. They were excited for their last year, but were more than grateful for the three months of vacation ahead of them.

"I can't believe you mentioned school, Babs," Dick groaned as they stopped on the sidewalk, ignoring the blaring sun high above Gotham and the smell of rain in the air. "We **just** got out, and you're excited about senior year?"

"Aren't you?" she asked, smirking. "Seniors don't have to dress in these uniforms." She gestured to her uniform with a grimace and his own. "Worried about homework for the first time in forever?"

"Nah, homework's not an issue."

"Then what is?"

"School."

Barbara shook her head, smirking knowingly. "That's not really an answer, Dicky."

"Oh, yes it is, Babs," he said, taking her arm and leading her away from the school. Once it was out of sight, it was like a breath of fresh air as they headed towards a doughnut stand on the corner of a street.

"You're so weird, Grayson," she muttered.

Second.

Biggest.

Mistake.

Ever.

"I think that comment hurt myself esteem," he said, his expression growing devious as he lit up with something akin to mischief and amusement. "I'm going to have to boost it."

"And how to do you plan on doing - hey!" She shrieked as he stopped walking and slung her over his shoulder, and continued to walk, ignoring people's curious, annoyed, and amused expressions.

"Dammit, Dick, put me down!"

"Say you're sorry," he said, stopping in front of the doughnut stand, seemingly oblivious of the young woman who worked the stand's laughter. "Can I get a chocolate doughnut and a maple bar, please?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Grayson," the woman said, grinning. It was a routine, to see this woman every Friday and every last day of school. Her father worked the stand, usually, but she liked to see the kids from Gotham Academy - the ones like Dick and Babs, who were decent customers, who weren't snobby and conceited and _stuck up_. Her name was Marcie, if Barbara remembered correctly.

"How are you doing, Ms. Gordon?"

The college-age brunette asked, smiling as she handed Dick their bag of doughnuts.

"Just fine, Marcie - thanks! Dick, dammit, I swear to God - "

"Say you're sorry," Dick said, handing Marcie the money and waving a goodbye as he walked away. Sometimes she hated the fact that Dick's adoptive father had trained in major kick-ass self defense classes.

"No!"

"Babs," he said, acting as if she were a troublesome little child that needed a reminder that concerned stealing cookies out of the cookie jr.

"Fine! I'm sorry!"

"For what?"

"Don't push it!" she hissed.

Abruptly, Dick dropped her onto he feet. She stumbled, caught herself, and stood up straight as Dick burst into laughter. That had to have been the most embarrassing ten minutes of her life!

He handed her the bag of doughnuts as a bell tower somewhere far off signaled that it was officially noon.

First.

Biggest.

Mistake.

Ever.

Barbara, feeling just as devious as he had not moments ago, took off with her own - and his - doughnut, laughing as she left him standing, dumbstruck for a total of tour seconds before he took off after her.

He followed her around a few corners and across a couple streets as she laughed her ass off, always narrowly avoiding his reach as she tossed empty threats concerning the life-or-death situation of his maple bar as she ate her doughnut while she ran.

Eventually, she stopped, ignoring passers-by and their curious expressions as her chest heaved up and down, her red hair out of it's precise braid now, after all the running she'd done. Dick skidded to a stop beside her, his breathing labored, but she knew he could do this all day if he really wanted to. She, however, wasn't one to run for six hours straight. She preferred boxing with him to racing. Racing was stupid.

But necessary, apparently.

"Your maple bar's life in grave danger," Barbara giggled, smoothing her hair down with one hand, hiding the small white bag behind her back with her other. Grinning, she watched as he shook his hair out of his eyes and mock-glared down at her. She tried to make her voice sound grave, but failed as she continued to giggle. "Are you willing to sacrifice it for your own satisfaction?"

"I am, now give it, Babs," he said. "Since when do you steal doughnuts?"

"Since you started picking me up and parading me around Gotham like a sack of potatoes," she replied, smirking.

Without warning, Dick's left hand grasped her waist and yanked her forward so she bumped into his chest. Looking up was the mistake, though.

Dick kissed her quickly on the lips, and she instantly relaxed, but quickly snapped to attention when he stepped away, the white bag in hand.

She glared at him, hands on her hips.

"I love it when you do that," he chortled, grinning down at her flaming cheeks. He made a mental note about how the shade of her cheeks matched the color of her hair.

"Do what? Get distracted by Hunk Wonder?"

Dick chuckled at the nickname.

"No, you relax and get all dreamy when I kiss you."

"I do not get **dreamy** when you kiss me, Grayson," she said, scowling at him.

"Sure you do," his grin twisted into a crooked smirk. "You practically dropped my maple bar. Your eyes fluttered shut and - "

Barbara slapped his arm as he pulled out his treat and took a large mouthful of it, chewing noisily on purpose.

"Shut up, Dick."

"Make me, Babs."

He laughed as her eyes took on a determined look.

"I'm giving you five seconds, Grayson, before I kick your ass. 5, 4 - "

Without hesitation, and with smirk, Dick was racing through the crowd laughing.

"Catch me if you can, Babs!" he called over his shoulder as she raced after him, ignoring the curious stares of the crowded sidewalks of Gotham.

"Watch me, Dick!" she shouted back, a grin twisting her lips.

Screw the countdown.

He didn't deserve a head start, anyway.

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**Thank you, all of you, for reviewing, following, favoriting, and reading :) you have no idea how awesome you all are! Hope you liked it!**


	3. Since When Do I Like Her?

**Thank ye for reading! Remember when I said "AU"? I really, _really _meant AU. Just for future reference :) ****This one doesn't have a _ton_ of romance in it, just so ya know.**

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**A/U:  
**Summer Camp

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Dick Grayson was pretty much good at anything. But just because he was good at pretty much everything, didn't mean he wanted to do everything. Canoeing was one of them. He didn't like it very much. He wasn't worried about the canoe tipping over. He was more concerned about having to chaperone his little brother, Jason. Because Jason _was_ bound to tip their canoe over. Or kill someone while practicing archery.

Yes.

Jason was likely to do either.

Dick actually suspected he'd try the latter before camp was over at the end of the summer.

Now, Barbara knew that Dick Grayson was good at pretty much everything. She thought it was funny that he didn't like to do everything he was good at, though. He did like canoeing. He just didn't like the fact that Jason caused him not to like canoeing. And that was also pretty funny.

That Wednesday morning, Jason, Dick, Barbara, and a guy named Conner Kent had all gotten themselves in a canoe with the rest of the teens in the camp and had gone down the stream a few miles away from Camp Justice. About halfway from their cabins on the way back, after circling around the lake twice, Jason had gotten the brilliant idea that they should tip over. So, he'd somehow managed to tip it over, sending the four of them tumbling into the ice cold water.

Jason, of course, had been banned from campfire (a.k.a s'mores time) for the next week. He'd also had almost been pummeled to death by Conner Kent. Of course, Dick had made sure that Jason hadn't gotten himself killed by Conner. He and Barbara had had to break up the start of the fight and had sort of yelled at Jason.

Of course, Jason had been smirking and snarky through this entire day. Now here they were, an hour before campfire. Barbara was glaring at Jason while Dick chatted with his new-found friend Wally West. This was the first time Dick, Barbara, Jason, and Tim had ever gone to summer camp. Barbara's friend Cassie had recommended it to them. Barbara thought that this was some kids' camp - because Cassie was about four years younger than her. But this had ended up being a hell of a lot more fun than she had expected. And since she had chosen to go four weeks ago, Dick had offered to go. Bruce had made him bring his brothers, and it was sort of working out.

"...yeah, so, who's your girlfriend, Dicky?" Wally asked, indicating the other redhead, who was now arguing with Jason.

"She's not my girlfriend," Dick said, coloring slightly.

Wally grinned, wrinkling his nose at the sound of thunder off in the distance. Looks like they wouldn't get campfire tonight in the woods - they'd be staying in their cabins. Again. It seemed like wilderness' weather was a bit random and temperamental. Dick didn't really like it, but this was better than those academic summer school programs Bruce made him attend.

"Yeah, yeah, sure - go ahead. Deny it," Wally grinned mischievously. "I can see it now: you're totally meant for each other."

"We're just best friends," Dick said, glancing over at Jason, who was now openly laughing at a pissed off Barbara, who was chewing him out once again about managing to tip over their canoe.

Right now, there were outside the "circle of cabins" as Dick so graciously had dubbed it, waiting for someone to tell them to go down to mess hall, and then back inside their cabins. It was going to rain soon. It's not like Jason or Barbara would care, though. They could argue for days on end, given the chance.

Wally mimicked him in a childlike-manner, which caused both boys to burst out laughing.

"But seriously, dude, you like her, don't you?" Wally somehow remained serious with a slight smile on his face as thunder crashed somewhere nearby - closer this time.

Dick frowned. "We've known each other forever."

"Yeah, but - "

"Jason Peter Todd, tipping us over is **not** funny! Would it be funny if I kicked your ass, Jay? How about that? Would that be hilarious?"

The boys both turned their heads to look at Barbara and Jason, who were now only inches apart. Barbara was absolutely _livid_ and Jason was currently snickering his ass off at Barbara being livid.

"It would be hilarious to see you **try**, Babs," Jason said.

"Let me kick your ass, and then we'll see who's laughing!"

Dick and Wally grinned at each other.

"How often does that happen?" Wally asked.

"It only happens when Jay screws something up on purpose."

"And how often is _that_?"

Dick cringed. "Way too often."

"Dude."

Dick sighed.

"What is it, Wall-man?"

"You're totally into your best friend."

Dick scowled.

"Shut up."

"So it_ is _true!" Wally laughed and socked his new-found friend in the arm. "Dude."

"Wally," he said carefully. "I'm not," and after a moment, he added, "and she isn't either."

"Dude, you can't know that."

Dick's eyebrows shot up.

"Jason Peter Todd, get back here right this instant!"

Dick and Wally turned again, just in time - and at the same moment, they felt a few droplets of water fall onto them - to see Barbara racing after Jason, who was headed for the mess hall.

"We should probably follow them," Wally said, grinning.

"Yeah," Dick said, and started after them, with Wally at his side.

"They're probably kill each other."

"That doesn't usually happen," Dick muttered.

"But Dude," Wally said as the mess hall came closer, and the rain came down harder. "You're still totally into her."

"Wally, I'm not - "

"You're smart, right?"

Dick's brow furrowed.

"Then admit it."

"Admit what?"

"Dick!"


	4. Since When Am I Not Allowed Any Clichés?

**A/U:**  
High School

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"_Dude_. Don't go all Romeo on her for Valentine's day."

Dick looked over the top of his text book to glare at Wally, who was sprawled out on his bed, his own homework forgotten in favor of reminding his best friend of his least favorite holiday.

It was probably the most fun Wally'd ever had on Valentine's day - well, on every V-day but this one, because this time, he had a date, and Dick hadn't had the courage to ask out the one that he wanted to be on a date _with_.

"I'm not doing anything for anyone."

Wally snorted. "Sure you aren't."

"I'm _not_."

"Dude, you've got the famous Wayne planning look on your face."

Dick raised an eyebrow, and Wally rolled his eyes.

"_Don't _tell me you don't know it when Bruce is planning something - you got the same look he does when he's scheming. So, bro, you're scheming. About Barbara. Am I right?"

Dick pretended to return his attention to the textbook propped up on his knees. He was sitting in his desk chair, a ways away from Wally.

He was _not_ going to let the redhead talk him into _anything _where it concerned any sort of holiday. _No way_.

The last time that had happened, Wally'd gotten _Jason_ involved - and, to say the least, they'd all gotten suspended for a few days.

And of course, Jason hadn't minded the minor blotch on their records. He'd thought the whole fiasco (let's just say there was confetti and spray paint and other things and possibly alcohol that might or might not have resulted in some of their high school gym's equipment getting set on fire) had been _hilarious_. Well, till he got grounded - but still, he thought it'd been funny as hell.

Dick sighed.

"So what if I am."

"Am what?"

He let his textbook fall flat, and he scowled at his smirking friend.

"_Scheming_, Wall-Man, what if I'm _scheming_?"

"Don't go Romeo and Juliet on her. You know she hates that stuff."

"I wasn't - "

"No chocolates or flowers or a movie, or anything even sappier, Grayson. You might not have the same last name, but you're a _Wayne_. Pull something awesome off."

Dick's brow furrowed.

"Why can't I do something simple?"

"Because it's horribly cliché." Wow. He knew fancy words. (He almost said, that but then he'd figured that he then might suggest something embarrassing, like a double date - and he knew Wally would _so_ do that if he insulted him right now.)

Dick scrunched up his nose, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah? Then what awesome thing should I do?"

Wally grinned. "You'll think of something."

"I thought you were going to give me an idea."

"No, I'm just encouraging you to do something smart. This is _Babs_, remember."

The dark-haired boy's cheeks reddened, just a little bit.

"You're helpful, dude, real helpful."

"I know."

"... you're still scheming sappy crap, aren't you?"

"You're not helping, so why should I try?"

"Because Artemis talked to Barbara, and Barbara _apparently said_ that she doesn't like clichés and crap."

Oh. That's how he knew the word.

Huh.

"Well - "

"No if's, and's, or's, or but's - _or well's_ - Grayson. Now stop studying and think of something awesome, or I'm putting that textbook of yours in Jason's room."

Dick frowned.

"He's going to set in on fire if you - "

He sighed.

"_Fine_."

Wally grinned.

"Don't worry, Dick - you'll think of _something_ to knock her off her feet. I _guarantee_ it!"

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**A/N: weekly updates went away :( but this is still being added to. so yay for that. Sorry this took so long to get up (and sorry for it being so short!). got any prompts? leave em' if you have em' please! thnx.**

**cheers, yah?**


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